Promising Warrnambool boxer Malakye Folima's hard work, skill and diligence has seen him become an Australian champion.
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The 17-year-old, representing Victoria at the Australian Schools Boxing Championships in Western Australia earlier this month, won his title fight in the men's under 19s 80-kilogram category against Queensland's Beau Jones.
"I'm feeling over the moon," Folima told The Standard of his achievement.
"It's a very good accomplishment and it was definitely good to go over to Perth and get the job done."
The bout wasn't the first time Folima had come up against Jones which gave him confidence.
"I versed the guy last year in August up at the golden gloves and he beat me by a split decision," he said.
"So I knew it was going to be a good, hard, close fight but it was good to come away with the win."
Folima made sure to study his opponent in the lead-up in order to gain an advantage.
"We got videos and I was watching them a lot, just studying what he does and it was good because he hadn't really changed much," he said.
"It was good to know what he was about."
Folima, who trains under his dad Chris at Folima's Fitness and Boxing in Warrnambool, said he was training around six days a week in the lead-up.
The apprentice bricklayer was pleased his hard work "paid off".
Folima has known how to box since he was six years old but only started taking it really seriously around two to three years ago.
He has also gave up football ahead of the 2024 season to just focus on the sport.
"For the past couple of years I've just been hammering down on the boxing,' he said.
"I just love the environment, it's good at our gym there's no egos there, it's just a good, family environment.
"It's good to be around people who aren't cocky."
The newly-crowned Australian champion enjoys being coached by his father, who he said was "hard on me which I find good".
He has a fight scheduled for August 18 and in the meantime he is hopeful he has done enough to be picked to represent Australia at the under 19 World Boxing Championships later this year in America.
"Boxing Australia picks a team and then within the next week or two they'll send a letter through the mail to see if we got in or not," he said.
Matt Hughes
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
